Safe edge cup for immersion rolls in film coating machines



March 10, 1936. N. F. BEACH 2,033,675

SAFE EDGE CUP FOR IMMERSION ROLLS IN FILM CQAT ING MACHINES Filed June 19, 19:55

INVENTOR.

MrmangBeach, BY W M ATrdRNEYs.

Patented Mar. 10, 1936 PATENT. OFFICE SAFE EDGE CUP FOR IMMERSION ROLLS IN FILM COATING MACHINES Norman F. Beach, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 19, 1935, Serial No. 21.4w

9Claims. (01.91-46) My invention relates to photography and more particularly to means for preventing the coating material in a film coating machine from wetting the surface of the immersing roll or the reverse side of the strip to be coated.

In the productions of sheet materials of many forms, such as photographic film, transparent wrapping material, paper, and artificial leather,

by way of example, it is often found necessary ordesirable to treat the surface ofthe sheet with a liquid agent, in order to either leave a deposit on the sheet by the evaporation; setting, or co'ngealing of the liquid, or simply to alter the character of the surface by the action of my invention refers, is that in which the moving sheet or film passes around the surface of a roll, the periphery of which may or may not move at the same rate of speed as the film, and while in contact with the roll dips to a greater or 7 less extent below the surface of the liquid coating material, which is contained in a suitable vessel. I

In such a process, which may be called the immersion process of coating, it is frequently necessary or desirable to prevent any of the coating material from coming in contact with the reverse side of the sheet or film, or with the surface ofthe immersion roll. And at the present time this difliculty is eliminated by the use of safe edge cups which are provided with safe edge ring inserts which are fitted to ride on the web material on the periphery of the immersion roll, the liquid tight joint being maintained by an excessive pressureapplied to the safe edge ring insert. This method of providing a liquid tight joint on immersion rolls of a coating machine has proved unsatisfactory, because due to the excessive pressure and subsequent frictional wear to which the safeedgering insert is subjected, it has been found very diillcult to maintain a. perfect fit between the safe edge ring insert and the periphery of the roll; without which a liquid tight joint is impossible.

Therefore, one object of my invention is to provide suitable safe edge cups which are designed to cooperatewith the ends of the immersion roll ina web coating machine to prevent terial on the rollopposite the grooves therein,

any of the coating material from wetting the reverse side of the web tobe coated or wetting the surface of the immersion roll. Another object is .to provide safe edge cups which are adapted to form liquid tight joints between v the 5 ends of the immersion roll and that portion of the immersion rollcontacting the coating ma terial wherein frictional wearof the safe edge cups is reduced to a without loss of efllciency. 'And still another object is to provide safe edge cups for an immersion roll which are adapted to be installed on any coating machine of this type without excessive additional expense. And another obje t of my, invention is to provide a. safe edge cup whose efficiency does not depend upon an exacting fit or excessive pressure, the elimination of these two factors greatly lengtheningthe useful life of the safe edge cup's.

Briefly, my invention consists of an ordinary immersion roll whose surface is'provided with grooves adjacent its two ends. .7 These grooves are so spaced apart that the web of material to be coated has a width suillcient to overlap and extend a slight distance beyond them. Theends of the immersion roll are confined by safe edge cups one wall of which conforms inv shape to that of the immersion roll and acts as a lip or insert ring to press against the web of ma- 30 and depress a small area of the web into said groove to provide a liquid tight joint. A tank containing the coating material is adjustably mounted so that the coating material therein can be brought into contact with the web material on th'e immersion roll. when this tank is in the proper immersing position, that portion of the web between the grooves in themmersion roll is properly coated while the ends of the immersion roll and the reverse side of the web are prevented from becoming wet by virtue of the liquid tight joint formed by depression of the web into the grooves on the surface of the immersion roller and the confining action of the other walls of the safe edge cups.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a broken front view of the combination, 1 55 F. The safe mounted, as with-an arm part, pivoted be raised or any suitably which will containing I mounted relative to the immersion it can be brought into contact tobethreadedwiththe-web ofillustrationlhave shown near'each'endwitharack in g uidesJl and engaged plnionsl8whicharemounted ona Journaled-inbearing's handle it. In immersing potank I! is substantially endof thesafe-edge cups 1 so might occur in the wi topermitthemll'l P. th

alight accid ntal leak of the coating material through the joint formed between the'groove I inthe roll; and the lip ll be made equal and simultaneous, a bar, not shown, the twoarms llmay be prothat immersion roll or removed therefrom bate edge cups I and their cooperation 20, and controlled sothatincase.

adjustments. The groove I itself thatthelipsllofsaidcupsoontact F with sullicient pressure to .dellee's a area'ofsaidwebFintot-begrooveal a liquid tight Joint. The tank I after properly filled with the coating q id raised into position under the immernon so that the level of the coating liquid is abovethe bottom of theroll toeifect an immer-.

sion thereof,

ofthesafeedgecupg I. by-virtueof 'thegroovesiintheroll 2,110 allowedtowettheendofthe verse side of the web I.

weremerelyfor'medbythewebagainst the unbroken surface of the roll 3. 'Ihe ultimate result obtained by this new construction pro vides for a. great reduction in frictional wear formerly incurred by the lip or insert ring ll otthe safe edge cup I, and this reduction greatly prolongs the life of the frlcflmally parts and provides for a more emcient liquid tight joint with need-for fewer replacements or may have any shape or depth which is found to be most efllcient for the web material mnP W d. I do not regard the are upon which the safe edge cup I istormed as essential, but it may be any size as dictated by the directions at which the web rapproaches and recedes from the immersion roll the operating position. i Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments'of my invention, I am fully claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I 3,. and by the readiness with which it would be to remove the safe edge cup I from claim isnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a web coating machine the combination with an immersion roll for the web to be coated,

said roll provided with grooves near its ends which are'adapted to be covered by overlapping portions of the web to be coated, of a tank containing the coating material adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll for regulating the extent of immersionof the web material on said immersion roll, and suitable means adjustably mounted relative to said roll for encasing the ends of said roll and depressing a small area of a said web material into the grooves in said roll to form liquid tight joints between the center of said roll and its ends.-

2. In a web coating machine the combination of 'an immersion roll'for' the web to be coated,

, said roil provided with grooves near its ends which are adapted to be covered by overlapping portions of the web to be coated, of suitable means for encasing the ends of said immersion roll and depressing the web material into said grooves insaid immersion roll to form a liquid r material.

3. In a web coating machine the combination ofan immersion rollfor the web to be coated,

said roll provided with grooves; near its ends adapted to be covered by overlapping portions of said web, of safe edge cups adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll for confining the endsthereof, means associated with said. safe edge cups for depressing a small area of said web into the grooves in said roll to effect a liquid tight joint, and a tank containing the coating liquid said tank being adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll for bringing the coating liquid intocontact with the bottom of said roll. a

4. In a web coating machine the combination of an immersion roll for the web to be coated, said immersion roll provided with grooves near its ends adapted to be covered by overlapping portions of said web' material, of -a tank for containing the coating material and adjustably mounted'relative to said immersion roll, and suitable means for preventing the coating material from coming in contact with the surface of the roll or the back of the web material, said means including a pair of cup members for encasing the ends of said roll and provided with a lip for depressing the web material into the grooves in said immersion roll to form a liquid tight Joint between the center of said roll and its ends.

5.In a web coating machine the combination My invention, therefore, is not to be re-v with an immersion roll Iorthe web. to be coated, said roll provided with grooves-near its ends adapted to be covered by overlapping portions of said web or material, of a pair of safe edge cups encasing the lower portion of each end of said immersion roll and adjustably mounted relative to said roll, one wall of each of said safe edge cups providing a lip to engage the web opposite the grooves in the immersion roll,

said engagement depressing 'a small area of the web into said grooves to form liquid tight joints therebetween, and a tank containing the coating material said tank. confining the lower portion of the immersion roll and the safe 'edge cups, the level of the coating material in said tank allowing for the immersion of the lower part of said roll and the web contacting it save that portion which is protected by said safe edge cups.

6. In a web coating machine the combination of an immersion roll for the web of material to be coated, the periphery of said roll near its ends provided with grooves adapted to be covered by an overlapped portion of the web material contacting said immersion roll, safe edge cups adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll and encasing. the lower portions thereof at its ends, one wall of each cup providing a lip for engaging the web material opposite said groove in said roll, depressing said web material therein to form a liquid tight joint,

and a tank for said coating material adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll to bring said coating material therein in contact with that portion or the web material on said roll which is not protected by said safe edge cups.

7. In a web coating machine the combination of an immersion roll for the web to be coated, the surface of said roll provided with grooves which are positioned so as to be overlapped by the web material contacting said roll, safe edge cups encasing the lower portion of said roll at each end and adjustably mounted relative to said roll, one wall of each of said safe edge cups conforming in shape to the surface of said roll and providing a lip for engaging the web material opposite the grooves in said roller,

said engagement depressing the web material into said groove to provide a liquid tight joint between the middle and ends of said roll, and a tank containing the coating material for said web, said tank adjustably mounted relative to said roll for bringing the coating material therein in contact with the lower edge of .said' roll between said safe edge cups.

8. In a web coating machine the combination with an immersion roll for carrying a. web of material to be coated, said roll provided with grooves near its ends adapted to be covered by an overlapping portion of said web material, of safe edge cups encasing the lower portion of said roll at its ends, one wall of each of said safe cups being circular in shape to conform to the surface of said roll and act as a lip for engaging the web materialon said roll opposite the grooves in said roll, said engagement causing said web material to be depressed into Said grooves to form a liquid tight joint, suitable means foradjustablymounting said safe edge cups relative to said roll ;for regulating the contact between said safe edge cups and said web on said immersion roll, and a tank containing the coating material adjustably mounted relative to said immersion roll to bring said coating material into contact with that portion of memihebommoe.

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